Power Rankings #5

We’ve reached that part of the season, ladies and gentlemen, when things are starting to become more clear, although things can still change super quickly in this league.

Today we’ll look at the power rankings for the VBL teams for the 5th time this summer already. I’ll rank the teams based on won-loss record, run differential, and then batting and pitching team stats.

As usual, this is just one dude’s opinion- feel free to have your own, and to comment liberally.

The stats go like this: Wins-Losses, record in last 10 games, runs scored/runs allowed, team batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage, team ERA, team WHIP, last week’s position.

Ok, let’s do this!

The Cream of the Crop

Waynesboro Generals: 20-8, 9-1 in last ten, 220/140 runs scored/allowed, .281/.399/.422, 3.99, 1.467 WHIP, last week #2. Coach Zac Cole has this bunch rolling. The team has power arms out of the pen, and the offense puts together solid at-bats all game long.

Strasburg Express: 19-7, 8-2, 175/121, .273/.365/.422, 3.43, 1.384, last week #1. The Express have the best pitching in the league, and Sonny Dicharia leads the just-fine offense.

Charlottesville Tom Sox: 16-12, 5-5, 198/171, .295/.391/.413, 4.95, 1.552, last week #3. Thomas Francisco has hit in all 13 games he’s appeared in, and is hitting a cool .464.

Woodstock River Bandits: 14-12, 6-4, 175/179, .290/.387/.416, 5.88, 1.791, last week #6. The week’s biggest riser, the Bandits join the top group for the first time. They can hit. The question, of course, is will they pitch enough to challenge the top three? The team has four regular players hitting over .380: Ward, Nagle, Escala, and Lockhart.

The Middle

5. Staunton Braves: 13-14, 3-7, 188/176, .271/.371/.382, 5.21, 1.632, last week #4. Chet Moore and Andrew Czech lead the way with the bats. I stood next to Czech briefly on Sunday… I’m 6-4, but he’s….. a large man.

6. Harrisonburg Turks: 12-13, 5-5, 136/137, .269/.382/.371, 4.13, 1.394, last week #5. The Turks have lost some good pitchers (Jacob Ferris, for one), but still have a solid staff, led by Eli Ellington and Will Brian.

7. Covington Lumberjacks: 13-13, 3-7, 122/140, .264/.355/.356, 5.05, 1.529, last week #7. Domenic Boselli is showing off his prospect status- he has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.

8. Purcellville Cannons: 11-16, 7-3, 163/189, .267/.373/.389, 5.49, 1.839, last week #8. Won seven of last ten.. the Cannons have had a recent influx of players. I expect this team to jump over some teams for next week’s rankings…

Teams With Work To Do

10. New Market Rebels: 12-16, 2-8, 135/171, .226/.339/.304, 5.47, 1.575, last week #10. The Rebels struggle on the offensive side, but they do have three guys with 15 or more stolen bases (Decker, Seagears, and Cox).

11. Front Royal Cardinals: 7-21, 1-9, 127/207, .236/.342/.331, 6.11, 1.838, last week #11. League personnel were raving about Tre Dabney this weekend at the All-Star game- he seems to have a bright future.